Rotary engine.



M. C. WERLE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATQON FILED JULY 3.1911.

Patented Mar. 25,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- INVENTOR ATTORN EY M. C. WERLE.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1911.

1,298,610. Patented Mar; 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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7/ '/"I/// A W v K Q S m k l \1 N INVENTOR WITNESSES I ,21 744 f]?- ATTORNEY WITNESSES M. C. WERLE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Mar. 25,1919.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY PATENT ores.

MATHEW C. WERLE, F BILLINGS, MONTANA.

' ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed July 3, 1917. Serial No. 178,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHEW C. WERLE, a citizen of the United States residing at B11- lings, in the county of Yellowstone and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines and the object is to provide a construction of improved type the essential features of which may be employed in an engine operated by the expansive force of steam or by firing an explosive charge. A further object is to provide in a construction of the character indicated a plurality of units one of which rotates with reference to the other and which is driven through the operation of a plurality of plungers operating in a circumferential portion of the casing comprising the stationary unit, said plungers each cooperating with a movable cylinder. 4

A further object is to provide means whereby the thrust is exerted in a forward direction only, the cylinders being held against movement in the opposite direction during the power stroke.

A still further object is to provide .a construction in which the cooperating elements may be as eiiectively packed for the purpose of preventing the escape of the propelling fluid, as in a reciprocating engine of the usual With these and other objects 1n view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

p In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section with parts in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a-vertical section taken at another angle through the casing carrying the several cylinders.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through one of these cylinders and through structure cooperating therewith.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section through a portion "of the ca ing and showing he means for making electrical connection for firing the charge.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic View showing the course of a groove within the casing which cooperates with the oflset end of the valve stem.

The construction includes a hollow shaft 10 constituting a main crank shaft and providing an inlet having communication with radially extending ducts 12 which at their outer ends have communication with inlet chambers 1 1 within the outer stationary casing of the engine. Chambers 14 are divided from exhaust chambers 15 by means of partition walls 16, said chambers 15 having exhaust ports 17 extending through the casing.

Carried on shaft 10 is a rigidly mounted disk 20 provided with radial bores 21 through which inlet ducts 12 pass, and the disk 20 affords means for mounting a plurality of wiper arms 22, these arms being pivoted at 23 and extending from a point adjacent to shaft 10 to a pointwithin the outer casing. These arms 23 pass through an annular channel 25 in said casing and are designed to engage the heads 26 of cylinders 27 at the proper time for the purpose of bringing the cylinders and pistons into proper relation with each other for receiving a new charge after the power stroke of said piston.

The casing comprises a water jacket 30 formed in a plurality of segmental portions and having flanged members secured to gether circumferentially of the casing as indicated at 31, and the inner wall 32 of the water jacket provides also a circumferential channel or bore 33 within which the operating members are mounted.

The cylinders are of course circular in cross section but the walls are formed to correspond with a segment of the casing so that said cylinders may freely operate therein but they are held against rearward movement at the instant when the power stroke is exerted by means of pivoted locking members 35 provided with inclined portions 36 on their inner sides and mounted within openings or recesses in the casing and normally forced inwardly by means of springs 36. The pivotal mounting is shown at 37 and these devices 35 serve as abutments for engaging the cylinder heads for the purpose stated.

The plungers 38 are oftubular formation and the longitudinally curved walls thereof constitute continuations of the walls 38 of the inlet and exhaust chambers, having thereby rigid connection with end walls 40, and the structure just described having rigid (OnnGi tion with tubular members forming ducts 12. These ducts pass between the annular walls 41 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Communicating with the inlet and exhaust chambers 14 and 15 and cylinder 27 are ports 42, 43 and the valve disk 46 carried on valve stem 39 is provided with ports 47, 48 adapted to register at the proper intervals with the ports first named.

Valve stem 39 is provided with an angular operating arm 50 adapted to cotiperate with a groove formed in the casing. This groove is shown in Fig. 8 and is designated 52, and

serves as a cam groove for controlling the valve stem and the valve disk 46 carried thereby for causing the ports of the latter to register at proper intervals with the ports 42, 43. r

The wiper arms 22 coiiperate with a stationary member 55 mounted on the inner side of the casing and provided with cam surfaces 56, these cam portions terminating in abrupt walls 57 which engage the ends of the wiper arms 22. When a cylinder reaches the point where it is engaged bv a lock 35, the wiper arm 22 drops over the abrupt wall 57 of cam member 55, and following the explosion the wiper arm under the influence of the cam portion 56 advances the cylinder with reference to the piston for bringing it into the position hown in the lower right hand port on of Fig. 1.

Each of the four cylinders is fired three t mes during a given revolution of the rotary unit. and in Fig. 8 I have shown a diagram of the cam groove on the inner side of the annular chamber 33 adapted to guide the valve stem 55. This groove is designated 52. After the head of the cylinder has passed the locking member 35 the stem 50 travels in a straight course on one side of the casing as shown at 61 and is then deflected at 62 toward t e main shaft, u til at the point 63 it is deflected in the other direction, the groo e thereby guiding the stem to the point 64. from which point the groove passes to the opposite side of the casing. say the right hand side. and is deflected first toward the main shaft until its course is changed at 65, the cvcle being completed at 66.

The exhaust port is fully open when the valve stem is at the point 63. it is closed at 64. and the intake port is fully open when the stem is at the point 65, closing at 66.

The contact plugs pass through the outer and inner walls of the water jacket. these plugs being des gnated 75 and comprising body portions of insulating material 76 and a central stem of conducting material hown at 77, this stem being in electrical connection with the spring contact member 78 which is engaged by the end of the wiper 22 when the latter comes-into proper position, said wiper completing connection between the spring and the end of the spark plug 79 and firing charge.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a stationary unit comprising a casing provided with a circumferential channel, a rotating unit including a shaft, a member rigidly carried thereby, means extending radially from said member and constituting inlet ducts, a plurality of movable cylinders oper- 80 able within the channel of the casing, plungers within the cylinders, means connecting the plunger-s with the rigid member on the shaft.

2. In a device of the class described, a stationary unit including a casing provided with a circumferential channel, a rotating unit including a hollow shaft constituting an inlet, a member rigidly carried thereby, means extending radially from said memher, having communication with the hollow shaft, and. constituting inlet ducts, a plurality of movable cylinders operable within the channel of the casing, plungers within the cylinders, and means connecting the plungers with the rigid member and the shaft.

3. In a device of the class described, a stationary unit including a casing provided with a channel, a main shaft, a member rigidly carried thereby, means carried by said member and projecting radially into the channel dividing the latter into a plurality of chambers, a movable cylinder within each chamber, inlet and exhaust means connected with said cylinders, a plunger for each cylinder, and means connecting the plungers with the radially extending members.

4:. In a device of the class described, a casing provided with a circumferential channel, a main shaft. a plurality of inlet ducts extending radially from the shaft and into the aforesaid channel, means for dividing said channel in a plurality of compartments, a movable cylinder within each compartment, said cylinders operating in a curved path, a plunger for each cylinder, exhaust means for each cylinder, and means for transmitting to the main shaft the thrust imparted to the plunger.

5. In a device of-the class described, a casing provided with a channel, a main shaft constituting an inlet member, inlet ducts extending from said member into the channel, a member carried rigidly by the shaft, movable cylinders within the channel adapted for communication with the inlet ducts, a plunger for each cylinder, exhaust means for each cylinder, means for retaining said cylinders against rearward movement during th power stroke, and mea s carried by the 1 0 rigidly mounted member on the main shaft for moving the cylinders mechanically at the completion of the power stroke.

6. In a device of the class described, a casing provided with a channel, a main shaft constituting an inlet member, inlet ducts extending'from said memberinto the channel, a member carriedrigidly by the shaft, movable cylinders within the channel-and adapt- -ed to have communication with the ducts, a

plunger for each cylinder, exhaust means for each cylinder, means for retaining said cylinders against rearward movement during the power stroke, an inlet valve and stem therefor, means formed in the casing for' operating the valve stem and valve, and means carried by the rigidly mounted member on the main shaft for moving the cylinders mechanically at predetermined intervals.

7. In a rotary engine, a casingincludin an outer channel, a main shaft provide with an internal bore and constituting an inlet, inlet ducts leading from said bore to the channel of the casing, a member rigidly carriedby the shaft, means mounted on said member extending .into the channel and dividin the latter into a plurality of chambers, cy inders operating respectively in said chambers, means for holding said cylinders in a given position during the power stroke, plungers for said cylinders, the plungers being mounted rigidly with reference to the rigid member carried by the shaft, a lurality of pivoted devices mounted on said member, and operable in timed relation to the operation of the plungers, means carried by the casing engaging one end of each of the pivoted members, a spark plug for each cylinder, and means circuit for each of said plu s upon the aforesaid timed operation of t e pivoted mem- 'bers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MATHEW c. WERLE.

forcompletitg an electric, 

